Opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Istanbul Deputy Melda Onur submitted a parliamentary question regarding the "Draft Bill on the Protection of Women and Family Members against Violence" to the Presidency of the Turkey Grand National Assembly (TBMM). The petition addressed the Minister for Family Affairs and Social Policies, Fatma Şahin.

Onur emphasized the severity of the situation revealed by the report on male violence released by bianet. In the light of this picture, she requested information on the current state of the "Draft Bill on the Protection of Women and Family Members against Violence".

The CHP deputy also asked whether a joint agreement for the draft was provided as the result of meetings and talks with women organizations that were continuing for several months.

The parliamentary question included the following statements:

"We got used to see almost daily news about violence against women in the media. This raises the impression that the public got tired of this kind of incidents. bianet started to break down the news on violence against women so that they are not left aside as ordinary incidents".

"According to the tally prepared by bianet that is based on a compilation of news in local and national newspapers, male culprits killed 257 women, 32 men, 14 children and two babies in 2011. At least 102 women and 59 girls were raped. Eleven women were killed and three seriously injured despite the fact that they had requested protection, complained at the prosecutor's office or the police or finding a place in a women shelter. In 2010, male perpetrators killed 217 women and three children; at least 207 women and girls were raped".

"According to the 2012 January report, men killed twelve women in the first month of the year. They wounded 26 women and two children. Ten women were raped; five women were forced to sex work; 35 women were harassed. Most of these incidents occurred in the Marmara region".

"The Ministry of Family Affairs and Social Policies has been working for months on the 'Draft Bill on the Protection of Women and Family Members against Violence' that is going to replace Law No. 4320on the Protection of the Family. It has remained at the stage of a draft for a long time and could not be entered into force. In fact, the trend implied by the data of the 2012 January report anticipates a similar development like in the years 2010 and 2011. In this context,

1 - Considering the severity and urgency of the situation as revealed in the report released by bianet, why is time being lost for the "Draft Bill on the Protection of Women and Family Members against Violence"? Why do the law-makers not enter the law into force in order to make the 2012 tally different form the other years?

2 - The report describes the following situation: "In 2011, considering the cases with identified perpetrators, 112 women were killed by their husbands, 23 by their boy-friends, 20 by their former husbands, twelve by their boy-friends or older brothers, ten by their sons or son-in law, eight by men who had been rejected by the victims, six by other relatives and five women were killed by thieves". With regard to this concrete data, how is the removal of the expression "living together" in the section of "Aim and Scope" going to resolve the existing victimization?

3 - Was a joint agreement for this draft law presented as the result of meetings and talks held with women organizations that were going on for several months? Why was the draft presented to be signed at the Council of Ministers on 31 January without taking into account opinions and criticism voiced in talks with women organizations about the draft bill?

4 - What is the current state of the draft that was opened for signature at the Council of Ministers? When is the draft planned to be brought to the agenda? Why was this process of the draft bill not communicated to the public and to women organizations in the according meetings?

5 - The draft law was not shaped according to what was discussed as its latest version in talks with women organizations. Critics said they were being deceived. What answer will the Ministry give in these aspects? (ÇT/VK)

CHP deputy Melda Onur asked in a parliamentary question submitted to the Minister for Family Affairs, "Considering the severity and urgency of the situation as reflected in the bianet report, why do we lose any time for a draft bill on the prevention of violence?"

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